PPPs considered for nurses’ homes renovation

Alvine Kapitako

WINDHOEK- The Ministry of Health and Social Services is exploring the Public Private Partnership (PPP) option to renovate the nurses’ homes at Windhoek Central and Katutura intermediate hospitals, it was revealed.
In an exclusive interview with New Era, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Ben Nangombe described the two homes as “one of those eyesores that we have”. 

“It’s a building that is terribly dilapidated. The idea is to subject that to some kind of PPP arrangement in order to improve it,” said Nangombe, referring to the Central hospital building.

Government has been unable to renovate the buildings because of limited financial resources, the Permanent Secretary explained. 

“We do not have the resources to renovate it. We are going to explore the options available and get proposals to turn the institution around to make it more habitable. It’s an eyesore. It’s a terrible terrible eyesore and we need to turn it around,” added Nangombe. 

He added: “The Central hospital building has become so old that even if you wanted to do anything there’s nothing much you can do, but we want to see what options will be availed through PPP agreements to turn it around. We have no other choice.” 

It is at these facilities where there are terrible water leakages, added the health and social services Permanent Secretary, further stating that the overall condition of the facilities “has become a threat to hygiene.”

Additionally, Nangombe stated that every drop of water that the Ministry of Health loses because of a leaking water tap is money that is lost by the ministry. “I will tell you that over a period of one financial year, we could pay as much as N$40, 50, 60 million in utilities alone for the Windhoek area,” he added. 

The PPP legislation was put in place in recognition of the fact that there has to be some synergy between the management of public systems with the ingenuity of the private sector, emphasised Nangombe. 

“The private sector, if properly harnessed has the resources, management capabilities and that can enable us to transform our institutions. This has happened in other countries in Africa, it has happened in parts of the world. We are not actually re-inventing the wheel here. The PPP approach has worked in other places,” maintained Nangombe.